diff --git a/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/ApplicationHome.java b/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/ApplicationHome.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..81ce5584481
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/ApplicationHome.java
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2012-2014 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.boot;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.net.JarURLConnection;
+import java.net.URL;
+import java.net.URLConnection;
+import java.security.CodeSource;
+import java.security.ProtectionDomain;
+
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
+
+/**
+ * Provides access to the application home directory. Attempts to pick a sensible home for
+ * both Jar Files, Exploded Archives and directly running applications.
+ *
+ * @author Phillip Webb
+ * @since 1.1.2
+ */
+public class ApplicationHome {
+
+	private final File source;
+
+	private final File dir;
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a new {@link ApplicationHome} instance.
+	 */
+	public ApplicationHome() {
+		this(null);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create a new {@link ApplicationHome} instance for the specified source class.
+	 * @param sourceClass the source class or {@code null}
+	 */
+	public ApplicationHome(Class<?> sourceClass) {
+		this.source = findSource(sourceClass == null ? getClass() : sourceClass);
+		this.dir = findHomeDir(this.source);
+	}
+
+	private File findSource(Class<?> sourceClass) {
+		try {
+			ProtectionDomain protectionDomain = sourceClass.getProtectionDomain();
+			CodeSource codeSource = protectionDomain.getCodeSource();
+			URL location = (codeSource == null ? null : codeSource.getLocation());
+			File source = (location == null ? null : findSource(location));
+			if (source != null && source.exists()) {
+				return source.getAbsoluteFile();
+			}
+		}
+		catch (Exception ex) {
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	private File findSource(URL location) throws IOException {
+		URLConnection connection = location.openConnection();
+		if (connection instanceof JarURLConnection) {
+			return new File(((JarURLConnection) connection).getJarFile().getName());
+		}
+		return new File(location.getPath());
+	}
+
+	private File findHomeDir(File source) {
+		File homeDir = source;
+		homeDir = (homeDir == null ? findDefaultHomeDir() : homeDir);
+		if (homeDir.isFile()) {
+			homeDir = homeDir.getParentFile();
+		}
+		homeDir = (homeDir.exists() ? homeDir : new File("."));
+		return homeDir.getAbsoluteFile();
+	}
+
+	private File findDefaultHomeDir() {
+		String userDir = System.getProperty("user.dir");
+		return new File(StringUtils.hasLength(userDir) ? userDir : ".");
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the underlying source used to find the home folder. This is usually the jar
+	 * file or a directory. Can return {@code null} if the source cannot be determined.
+	 * @return the underlying source or {@code null}
+	 */
+	public File getSource() {
+		return this.source;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the application home folder.
+	 * @return the home folder (never {@code null})
+	 */
+	public File getDir() {
+		return this.dir;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String toString() {
+		return getDir().toString();
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/StartupInfoLogger.java b/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/StartupInfoLogger.java
index 01057bd6f7a..a7c2fb02bc1 100644
--- a/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/StartupInfoLogger.java
+++ b/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/StartupInfoLogger.java
@@ -16,13 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.boot;
 
-import java.io.File;
 import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory;
 import java.net.InetAddress;
-import java.net.JarURLConnection;
-import java.net.URL;
-import java.net.URLConnection;
-import java.security.ProtectionDomain;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
@@ -143,10 +138,9 @@ class StartupInfoLogger {
 				return System.getProperty("user.dir");
 			}
 		});
-		File codeSourceLocation = getCodeSourceLocation();
-		String path = (codeSourceLocation == null ? "" : codeSourceLocation
-				.getAbsolutePath());
-		if (startedBy == null && codeSourceLocation == null) {
+		ApplicationHome home = new ApplicationHome(this.sourceClass);
+		String path = (home.getSource() == null ? "" : home.getSource().getAbsolutePath());
+		if (startedBy == null && path == null) {
 			return "";
 		}
 		if (StringUtils.hasLength(startedBy) && StringUtils.hasLength(path)) {
@@ -158,28 +152,6 @@ class StartupInfoLogger {
 		return " (" + path + startedBy + in + ")";
 	}
 
-	private File getCodeSourceLocation() {
-		try {
-			ProtectionDomain protectionDomain = (this.sourceClass == null ? getClass()
-					: this.sourceClass).getProtectionDomain();
-			URL location = protectionDomain.getCodeSource().getLocation();
-			File file;
-			URLConnection connection = location.openConnection();
-			if (connection instanceof JarURLConnection) {
-				file = new File(((JarURLConnection) connection).getJarFile().getName());
-			}
-			else {
-				file = new File(location.getPath());
-			}
-			if (file.exists()) {
-				return file;
-			}
-		}
-		catch (Exception ex) {
-		}
-		return null;
-	}
-
 	private String getValue(String prefix, Callable<Object> call) {
 		return getValue(prefix, call, "");
 	}